Locking center pin for railway cars



July 1, 3949. G. E. D ATH LOCKING CENTER PIN FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May7, 1945 Patented July 12, 1949 TATES :RATENT OFFICE 2,475,651 *LOCK'INGYCENTER PIN FOR/RAILWAY; CARS George E., Bath, Mokena, nl g s signor. to.W H. M r nQ-LCh ca Il -h v c rncra en D l ware l e-Application May 7,1945, -Serial No.- 59254319 s3 Claims. (Cl. 105 2,00)

shquldered engegem nt w it h the bolsters, and a filler el el nent iorholding the outer; sections remand- 2mm t ma ntai t rsho e ed a ment thefiller-kelep enttbeing insertable lengthbetween-the outensectiqns:afterthelatter avev een epplied to thebolsters and beingrotableto bring: thesame in shonlderedrengagee th the-enter s ections thereby vlocking: t tam a a n e ident trerno fr m between outer; sections; in lengthwisedirecti on.

A fnrther object of the, invention is lto pro vide d ckin pent qpi ihin1th pr edin para grephfl wherein-the filler "element has; a lu ea -Jits h ner --,end enea e b e w the t pt @Wl Q queaidiqut e ion y m r a Iterme M r said elemen il el sai elem n w ains re eva ddow w m di e andwh ein t e fil e e1 me -rwhm pn1 d i l c e e ei-ns rm em dis aq m it -re ne r o h HEOLILBI' sections by shouldered engagement with "ithefilattA -morerispecific object of the invention is to ,motide a lccking center-;pj1n comprising ameirpf outer seetions a, rote table filler elementfornew e the outen ect onsse arated en r ;1 i 11er..e1em.ent ,hasshouldered engagement with rem e eeter-secti n o h ld s i me 1 @gainstmdownw 13d displeoenrent with respect to th wite rse tie h stleqk d a msnot t r spe lt ai ou r-sweat yr wlw in projection on sei d element ,rembraced between the ioxverrend of the.onteri. section. with. whigh it dhas shouldered engagement and the lcwer end of theother; uter sectionend.wherein theweight of e. m H hon smilizedr to m i tain th lQ-Q iQER'Qi Q Dent n said em ra ed rela Qwerohi i he-i enti n w m ele l renn e qi omr th escr flnm an clai h r i w eite rml owm In the drawing forming apart of thisspecificatigh Figure l is e yertioel sectional View, takenlen thwis thmushs he mi m tti n fl f t dy andhtrli wbels era e nawltelwey earn lu ratin my improYelnents inn-connectiontherewith, the rroekmmeent (p be n shown in in e evat t n i Penman .vie r .Q Fi r F u w.rsimla rt fli ur p y ,bmke

awa y, st-lowing the parts of the lockingocenter pin in different;position and illustrating a s te'p of the operationr gft assembling theparts ofthe .p, in. z Eig ure eis aydeteil perspectivemiew of one 5 ofthe quter sections or members -of the locking center -pini, hese ction-0r member; illustrated; be- --ing that at the right; hand side, as showninEigrrel. Eigurefi f a detail perspective viewwofthe 1' filler; elementof; yrimpi ovedl locking center pin.

Insaid sawing,vj n indicatesthe body bolster of' the ca end ll thetruckbplster. Thesebolsters are of usual well-known design, thebody mq me newp evi e wit ent rs i l2 -t ecqomm d te hw W-P h @510 a-bolster being provided with an upstanding-hollow me -1: -fla a 1 ef the bodbqlster. The section I 2 isof ,s u b- .stentiwI muW q emnuh v n aninward m r jecting flange or rib l4 between the et op and battom endsther;eof. The flange J4 defines an aqpening l fi adapte d toeccornmodate the center @in. nbove the fie nge [4,4311% section. {2jorms (a m k t t5 ada tedt r eeqmm e e ea at .thei l -ppertendf of thepin. The annular hollow boss u stand n ,ane 1 12f t t u b lster e tend ito th x tt m t o o t e o nin of the sectienl z Ofwthfl body bolster, asmost eleer-ly shown in Figure 1. -'Ihe.ihol low boss p170- videskacircular opening I ;1 r to. accommodate the centerrpin. jlfhe openi ng11 0f. the truck bolster :i andqthe opening rglfi of the bod-y bolsterare; in a axiah lie men r rBe owth p i efl e m bolster is provided. .withtapccket l8. The; pocket L8 serves the, purpose ofl eccomrnodeting thehead 355 5 12 b ttom e -o rt cent i sshow F th s cke 1 i g ea siz t antheeopening l'lj of the, boss 13, thereby providing a downwardly. facingshoulderls adjacenhsa id o e in which X qao ret s in it a hea th 40bottom end of the center pin to res trjct npvyard m v me eith r wh h vhe husualb ri e pl lo e s im T ;0v .i ;$ID;Q$e b twee t b0. en ,t lqkbol ter @rqim h u war y A pro e tin 7 11 eo vth itruck, ql e y mpr v dlockin r center j i om rise broadl ueairt fr ute "membe s t iqn' AemiwBen i entn k eade q ifiil e l me Th two rou e member se ti s A an pare of similar design, except as hereinefter pointe Eamxmt memb tomp e va teii ia 'lyr emk l ndriq ;sh n Z i. ha in head 22 endflzfiet thetopend bottom endsth'ereof. .Tlihe t nh' aj 3. i he inih vf rm 0f an ecce t4 substantial sem -c lin rica outs andin fi -ppojeeting into the section12 finger or lug 32 extends from of a concentric, substantiallysemi-cylindrical flange. The members A and B are laterally spaced apartat the upper ends and have contact with each other on their inner sidesat their lower ends. The member B is laterally inwardly enlarged at itslower end, said laterally enlarged portion being in the form of spacedwebs 24-25 to provide this contact. The zone of contact is onsubstantially fiat, vertical faces, preferably of a vertical height atleast as great as the thickness of the flange or head 23 of either ofthese members. Immediately above the zone of contact, each web 26 and 25of the member B inclines away from the member A in upward direction, asindicated at 26. The web 25 is narrower than the web 24, being cut awayat its inner side, as indicated at 28, to provide clearance for passageof the lug at the upper end of the filler element C, as hereinafterpointed out. The spaced arrangement of the upper end portions of themembers A and B permits collapse of said upper end portions of the pinto make possible insertion and removal of said members.

The heads 22--22 at the upper end of the members A and B are made ofsuch a size and contour that they will pass freely through the pinreceiving openings l and ll of the body and truck bolsters when thesemembers are inserted or removed in succession from underneath the truckbolster, with the filler member absent so that the upper portion of thecenter pin may be collapsed. V

The member B, which is the right hand outer member, as viewed in Figure1, is transversely notched at its inner side at the lower end thereof,as indicated at 29, said notch being formed in the web portion of saidmember B, said notch being defined by a horizontal top wall and avertical side wall.

The filler element C comprises a cylindrical shank 3i] and a headlikeeye member 3| at the lower end of the shank. A radially projecting theshank 30 at one side thereof, immediately above the eye member 3|. Thefinger or lug 32 is of such a length that its outer end is flush withthe outer edges of the heads 23--23 of the members A and B when theelement C is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, and is of such asize that it completely fills the notch 29 of the member B, and abutsthe vertical inner side of the member A at the lower end of the latter,thereby locking the filler element against rotation.

At the upper end thereof, the shank 30 of the element C is provided witha second radially projecting lug or finger 33, at substantially 90 tothe lug 32. The lug 33 engages over the top end of the member B and isseated thereon as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to hold the element Cagainst downward displacement.

The inner sides of the members A and B are centrally vertically slottedor grooved, as indicated at 34, the slot of the member B being locatedbetween the webs 24 and 25 thereof. These slots or grooves are ofconcave cross section and, when the members A and B of the pin are inassembled position, form a central bore in which the shank 30 of theelement 0 fits loosely and is rotatable.

As will be seen upon reference to Figure 1, when the pin comprising theouter members A and B and the filler element C interposed between saidmembers is applied to the bolsters, the shank of the pin substantiallyfits the openings l5 and ll of the body and truck bolsters with theheads 22--22 and 23-23 disposed respectively above, the shoulderpresented by the flange or rib I4 of the body bolster, and below theshoulder IQ of the truck bolster. The pin is thus held against removalin both downward and upward directions.

In applying the center pin to the bolsters, the member A is firstinserted through the openings of the bolsters from underneath the truckbolster and displaced laterally outwardly to overlap the heads 22 and 23thereof with the shoulders of the bolsters. After this has been done,the member B is inserted from underneath the truck bolster, through thebolster openings alongside the member A. As will be evident, theinclined portions 26-26 of the webs 24 and 25 of the member B providefor the required clearance to permit inclining of this member to theproper extent to permit the head at the upper end to pass through thebolster opening. member B has been fully inserted, it will have beendisplaced laterally outwardly at its upper end by spreading apart of thelower end of the pin, to bring the head 22 thereof into shoulderedengagement with the bolster l0, and, due to the fact that the members Aand B have their inner side faces adjacent the lower end of the pincontacting, the head 23 at the lower end of the member B will be forcedto engage beneath the shoulder of the truck bolster. The filler elementC is next inserted between the members A and B from underneath the truckbolster to hold the members of the pin separated and in shoulderedengagement with the body bolster. Before application of the element C,it is turned so that the lug or finger 33 thereof is in alignment withthe opening between the members A and B and in registration with therecess provided by the cut away portion 28 of the Web 25. In thisposition, the lug or finger 32 underlies the head at the lower end ofthe member B. Inasmuch as the finger 33, when in this position, is freeto pass between the members A and B, the filler element may be shovedupwardly until the finger 33 is brought to a position above the level ofthe head at the upper end of the member B, as shown in Figure 3. Whilethe filler element is thus being forced upwardly, the member A is liftedby engagement of the underlying finger 32 of the filler element with theunderneath side of said member A. With the finger 33 thus positionedabove the level of the top end of the member B, the element C is given aquarter turn, thereby bringing the finger or lug 33 into overlappingrelation and shouldered engagement with the top end of the member B andseating the finger 32 in the notch 29 of said member, permitting themember A'to drop to the position shown in Figure 1 with its inner sideabutting the finger 32, thereby locking the filler element againstrotation.

The element C is thus securely held against rotation with respect to themembers A and B, thereby preventing the finger 33 from reaching ,aposition of alignment with the opening between the members A and B andpossible accidental dropping out of the element C from between saidmembers.

In removing the center pin, the reverse procedure is followed. Themember A is first pushec' upwardly to lift the lower end thereof abovethe level of the finger 32. The element C is ther given a quarter turnto align the finger 33 wit1 the opening between the members A and B. Thlelement C is then withdrawn from between thl When the re n eer -roranchoring 'the hook. mitten zf uiitlidrawal or 1 the Miller element; theeouter members care "removed in successionfl the member F B xzbeinglithe first iwithdrawn.

i n car construe'tiom the combinati'on"iwith and truek"bolsters having'aligned icenter r pin insertable from beneath said truclc bolster, saidpin including- -oliter mem-bers lieaded at opposite ends and a fillerelement between said outer members rotatable with""respect"'tosaldmblnbers, said filler aelementiholding the pinrexpandedwwith theheads inshouldered engagement Withdthe bolsters said element havinglockiri.projections.at the top and bottom ends thereof," said toplockingprojection beingsengaged over the upper end of onebf'rsaid ri'duterrmem'bers -by. rotationiofisaid element with :respeet ttossaid .membersi UOEhjOld saideiement against downward displacement, and said bottomlocking projection being engaged between said outer members to hold saidelement against rotation. 2. In car construction, the combination withbody and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; ofa center pin insertable from beneath said truck bolster, said pinincluding outer members headed at opposite ends and a filler elementbetween said outer members, said filler element holding the pin expandedwith the heads in shouldered engagement with the bolsters, said elementbeing rotatable with respect to said outer members and having lockingprojections at the top and bottom ends thereof, circumferentially offsetwith respect to each other, said top locking projection being engagedover the upper end of one of said outer members by turning of saidelement with respect to said outer members to hold said element againstdownward displacement, and said bottom locking projection being engagedbetween said outer members to hold said element against rotation.

3. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertablefrom beneath said truck bolster, said pin including outer members hea i,filler element between said outer members, said filler element beingrotatable with respect to said )uter members, said filler elementholding the iin expanded with the heads in shouldered en- :agement withthe bols t radial retaining lug at the upper end thereof engageable overthe upper end of one of said outer members to support said elementagainst downvard displacement, said lug being of a size to pass etweensaid members when the filler element is otated to a position to alignsaid lug with the pening between said members, said element havrig asecond radial lug at the lower end thereof mbraced between the lower endportions of said iembers to lock said filler element and outer iembersagainst relative rotation when the lug t the upper end of said elementhas been brought ito overhangin supported relation with respect theupper end of one of said outer members.

4. In car construction, the combination with ndy and truck bolstershaving aligned center ngs; of a locking center pin lsertable frombeneath the truck bolster, said in including elongated outer membershaving :taining flanges at opposite ends; a filler element ded atopposite ends and ters, said element having M1013 andc-bottom'ends, on

r-zlower endaon thelinner s cofnsaid members;

element with res filler element being disposed in the openings of saidbolsters, sa

"6 'ibetweerrsatldrmembersl foriholdingthe same spread .iiapartz withtheltliangespthereofein shouldered en- 2' agement rlwith'rtheabolstersf: said .sfiller ;element avingia radially a:lprojectingclugratithe upper-lend resting coneiand shaving zshoulderedengagement with: t-hez'ltopeend-z OfGOHEiTOf? said outer; members"iamotch at the lowemendr-ofisaid lastanamed memubenlatrtheiinneri sideethereof and: a. 'radially :prorjei itingiifmgern'atithei flowerwen'dcofs said element ainwa diametrical plane'at right-anglesvtotheplane cot said: lugi'andiseatedein said notch rand-held ,in"1ssaidinotchr-byrrengagement with the (inner side of t'the othen-outenmember, to loclcsaid fillerrelement aagainst:rotationswith: respect to:said: outer members.

pin of the icha'racter cdeswithl-agpairrof elongated retaining flangesat the e: of the members 50f said abutment surface at its idethereof,and the-other ihavingaaw seat. at-iits,-:lower.: end on the inner sidehaving a fiat vertical abutment wall facing said surface of the othermember and a horizontal top wall; of an elongated central filler elementbetween said outer members, said filler element being rotatable withrespect to said outer members, having a radially projecting lug at itsupper end and a second radially projecting ing at its lower end, saidlug at the lower end being engaged in said seat underneath said top walland embraced between said abutment surface and abutment wall to holdsaid element against upward displacement and rotation with respect tosaid outer members, the lug at the upper end of said element overhangingand being shouldered on the upper end of the member which is providedwith the seat, to hold said element against downward displacement, saidupper lug being brought into said overhanging position by rotation ofsaid pect to said outer members.

6. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertableid pin including ite ends and a ascribed, theicombi-nation, outermembers having epair having aanver-tical:

outer members headed at oppos rotatable filler element between saidouter members holding said pin expanded with the heads in shoulderedengagement with the bolsters, one of said outer members having atransverse abutment face at the lower end, said element having lockingprojections at the upper and lower ends thereof, said upper lockingprojection being engaged over the upper end of said last named outermember by turning said element with respect to the same, while the otherof said outer members is lifted to clear said lower locking projection,said upper lOCking projection, when engaged over said member, holdingsaid element against downward displacement, said lower lookingprojection being, by said turning of said element, shouldered againstsaid abutment face to restrict upward displacement of said element, andbeing embraced between said outer members when said lifted member islowered, thereby holding said element against rotation.

7. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertablein said openings, said pin including outer members headed at oppositeends and a filler element rotatable with respect to said outer members,said between said outer expanded with its ent with the bolmembers forholding the pin heads in shouldered engagem stars, one of saidoutermembers having a downwardly facing shoulder on the inner side thereof,said element having locking projections at the top and bottom endsthereof, circumferentially offset with respect to each other, said toplocking projection being engaged over the upper end of said last namedmember by turning of said element with respect to said outer member,while the other outer member is lifted to clear said bottomlocking'projection, said locking projection, when so engaged over saidmember, holding said element against downward displacement, and saidbottom locking projection being engaged beneath said shoulder by saidturning movement, and being embraced between said outer members whensaid lifted member is lowered to hold said element against rotation andupward displacement.

8. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolstershaving aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertabiein said openings, said pin including a pair of outer members headed atopposite ends and a filler element between said outer members rotatablewith respect to said members, said filler element having lockingprojections at opposite ends thereof engageable respectively over thetop and bottom ends of one of said members by rotation of said elementwith respect to said member to lock said element against lengthwisedisplacement with respect to said outer members, the other outer memberbeing movable to position to lock said element against rotation withrespect to both of said outer members.

GEORGE E. DA'II-I.\

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,764,444 Haseltine June 17, 19302,252,897 Olander Aug. 19, 194]

